Ammonia condenser



sept. 1, 1931. J. BECKMAN 1,821,287

AMMONIA CONDENSER Filed Dec?.y 17. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYST Sept. 1, 1931. J. H. :BECKMANv AMMONIA CONDENSERA Filed Deo. 17. 1929 2 sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

llatented Sept; l., F1931- UNITED s'rArss PA'n-:N'r 'o'pnC- L i neon-Hanny anomali),

-AllIoNu connnnsm application nea December 1v, lass. sensu 10.114.764.

This invention relates to ammonia condensers of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent; #$1,716,681 issued tome on June 1-1 1929.

It is the principal object of the present invention to enerally improve condensers of the-type re erred to whereby toincrease the capacit andeiliciency thereof.

One orm which the invention may assume is exemplified lin the following description and illustrated bynway of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

' Fig. 1 1s a diagrammatic illustration of my improved type of ammonia condenser through with parts insection to more clearly disclose certain novel features of construction.A

2 is a frontrelevation ofthe condenser"` Wlth parts broken away to more clearly disclose its construction.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken F. 2 Athe condenser on line III-III'of 1 l ig. 4.is anend elevation of the condenser with one of the drums in section.

Fig. 5 is a .vertical section through'the tube unit taken on line V-V of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in section showing the connection between one of the tubes and one of the headers.

Referring more particularly to the accom# panying drawings2 10 and' 11 indicate a pair of horizontally dis osed c lindrical drums arranged inaralle ism. eaders `12 and 14 are connecte at their lower ends to the drums 10 and 11 and extend vertically therefrom. A plurality of horizontally disposed tubesl are connected at-'their opposite ends to the headers 12 and 14 and are arran at equally spaced distances apart along t e headers as illustrated most c earl in Figs. 2 and 5. The headers and the tubes comprise the tube unit of the condenser.`

Arranged beneath the tube unitis a water reservoir 16. a pipe 17 to a circulating' pump 18 the exhaust portici' which is connected b .acon-` duit `19 to the inlet 20 of` adistri utor 23 disposed above the tube-unit. 'j A su ply line 21 1s connected with theV pipe'19 sov at additional Ywater may supphed to the circulot#I be obtained. r

This reservoir is-connected byg I l moma lsalways presentan the drum.` The` ing system when 'desired'. The sides of the tube unit are enclosed by panels 22 which Y extend between the vertical'headers 12 and 14.

Water from the reservoir' 16 is drawn there. from by the pump 18-and discharged from distributes the water over the entire length -of the -tubes 15. The water so'A distributed is trapped and caused to pass,over the surface 'of each tube 15 bymeans olfobliquely arranged baflles 24'extending longitudinally as illustrated in Fig'. 5; Thus, the water from the ump is caused to travel overthe surfaces of t e tubes to effect an exchange of heat,

-which water is trapped `by the reservoir 16 and recirculated. l

the'pipe 19 through the distributor23 which I cause an air fiow to tra el upwardly around I To increase the eiicicy of the condenser tend inwardly' from the sides of the casing which houses the tube unit.

- The provision of these bailies causes the upwardly flowing air to impinge against the water passingv over the tubes and thus effects an exchange of heat, serving to maintain 'the water cool so that greatereiciency in condensing the ammonia 1in the tubes will The ammonia gas to be condensed-is ldischarged' from-'the .ammonia plant 30 through a pipe 31 which is connectedwith thedruin 10. This drum' is interior-ly fitted with a baille 32 and theoverilow'connection thereto is'so disposed that a 'quantity of liquid amgas discharging into' the drum 10 from the v pipe 31 must pass through this li uid am# `monia in order to 'pass through t e drum due to the provision of -the bale 32. The

- level of the liquid in the drum 10 may be superheate `liquid accumulating in the tubes 15 from maintained at a predetermined level by means of an overflow pipe 33 fitted with a control valve 34. -B opening the valve 34 the overflow in the rum 10 may be diverted to the drum 11. Each drum 10 and 11 is fitted with a drainage valve so that oil in the ammonia ma be drawnol.

fter the ammonia gas, which is superheated, passes into the drum l0 itis forced to pass into the liquid ammonia therein. This converts the superheated gas into a saturated vapor which passes upwardly into the header l2 and into the tubes 15. By passing the gas through the liquid in the drum 10 I am enabledto condense the gas to a liquid proximate'l eight'times faster than if gas from the ammonia plant was directed directly to thetubes 15.

Another advantage 'of passing the gas through the liquid ammonia is that the oil Y which is usually carried by-the gas in a plant of this type is separated from the gas and settles in the drumflO. In other words the gas is washed before it enters the condenser. The Ioil that gathers in the drum 10 in this manner and any oil that may overflow into the drum 11 through the pipe 33 may be detected by meansof liquid level gauges 41 attached to the drums 10 and 11. The drainage valves on thedrums may be opened to draw the oil from the drums at necessary intervals.

At the point where the pipes or tubes 15 are connected with the header 12, each tube is fitted with a baille 15a which prevents any discharging back into the header 12. As the gas rises in the header 12 and passes througlh e the tubes 15, the passing of the water over t tubes and the coolinginuence of the upward current of air causes an exchange of heat which condenses the saturated vapor into liquid which liquid discharges into the header 14 and thus into the drum 11. From this drum it maybe drawn oil by a pipe 35 and returned to the ammonia plant. y I desire to point out that the gas in passing through the tubes 15 is condensed and gives up its latent heat and the condensate is cooled.

By my construction as hitherto described I am enabled to elect a great saving in water and it is unnecessary to provide a cooling tower Orother lapparatus* for cooling the water after it has passed over the condenser tubes. This, of course, is a considerable saving over prior devices.

I have found in actual practice that by using a given yquantity of water I can continually recirculate this water with a very small loss. Likewise, by theprovision vof the upwardly passing a1r the water is maintained at a comparatively low temperature fand the ammonia gas is eliiciently condensed.

While I have shown the preferred form o f lby those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described m invention what I claim and desire to secure y Letters liatent 1. In an ammonia condenser, a plurality of heat exchanging tubes, means causing a low of coolingv liquid over said tubes, baliies directing the liquid toward the tubes, means for causing a current of air to pass over said tubes in a counter direction to the cooling liquid, and baiiing means for causing the current of air to impinge against the tubes andthe first named baiiles.

2. In a device of the character described, a

condensing means, means for conveying a cooling liquid over said condensing means, baiile plates directing the liquid onto the condensing means, means for allowing a Current of air to ass said condensing means, and

other baiillng means whereby the current of air will be directed against said condensingv means and cooling mechanism.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pair of headers, condensing means forming communication between the headers, means for admitting a gas toA said condensing means, means whereby the gas will be desuperheated before entering said condensing means, means for conveying a cooling liquid over said condensing means, means whereby air will be directed against said condensing means and said cooling liquid and a set of baie plates arranged in staggered relation, whereby alternate plates will direct the flow of the liquid and the remaining I plates will direct the flow of air.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pair of' headers, condensing means forming communication between the headers, means for admitting a gas to said condensing means, means connected with lone of said headers whereby a gas passing through the header will become desuperheated means for conveying a cooling liquid over said condensing means, a casing arranged aronnd the condensing means and containing batlies ,to direct the flow of liquid to the condensing means, means for forcing air upwardly through said casing, and bales carried by the walls of the casing and ar'- ranged alternately with said first baillesto direct the air against the first baffles and against the condensing means.

JACOB HENRY BECKMAN., 

